Back in My Day: Dragon Warrior
No need for a fancy intro on this one. Everyone should know this game. Cue the music!
Before Elder Scroll offered us beautiful forests, mountains, and streaming rivers, there was a top-down game that held just as much landscaping beauty.. It didn't have detailed creepy hags or monsters, and it especially didn't have dragons that flew out of the sky and lit the landscape on fire, but it was a masterpiece in its own way. What game could have done such a thing? It was called Dragon Warrior, and it was the best RPG game of its time.
There is no beautiful Elder Scroll world in this game. Instead, we get a top-down exploration role playing game that had me hooked from the flash of the title screen. Dragon Warrior was a game that I played countless times and felt as if I were playing something new each time. For each play-through, I tried a different style of play although there wasn't really a different way to play it. There were no mages, no thieves, or factions to join. The game traveled a linear line, but somehow was able to draw me in so many times.
Dragon Warrior was released in 1986 by Chunsoft for the Nintendo. While I had played a few games that featured the whole role playing genre, Dragon Warrior was the game that seemed to do everything right. I never got to lay hands on the game until the early 90's. By then, He-Man had done a number on me and the nerd in me cried out for swords and armor. I can remember the joy that I had just by staring at the box art for the game. When I finally had the chance to play Dragon Warrior, I remembered all of the games I played previously that were just a bit too difficult due to tricky wordplay or difficult puzzles. Dragon Warrior kept it simple.
(Oh Rainbow Bridge, how I love thee.)
As mentioned, Dragon Warrior is no Elder Scrolls. I like to think, though, that it inspired many people who went on to create that we've played and will be playing in the future. Dragon Warrior laid down an immense world that took time to travel. While the worlds we venture through these days are much larger, Dragon Warrior was quite limited with what it could do. That didn't stop Chunsoft from developing a game that featured different terrain, dark dungeons, and cities which were a haven for players. It seemed as if every bit of detail work that went into Dragon Warrior was placed with perfection.
What good would a game be with amazing visuals but no story line? Not very. That's why Dragon Warrior sends its players on a long quest to rescue a princess and defeat the Dragonlord who has shrouded the world in darkness. While that may seem like a simple task due to other games making it simple, Dragon Warrior was sure to give its player base different ways to accomplish certain tasks to have them wander a bit more. It prevented players from making an instant beeline to the end.
The world of Dragon Warrior is a dangerous one. To ensure that the player can survive, the game awards them for the accomplishments over the weaker monsters that are encountered. Through training, the player will gain experience and after a certain amount is gained a level is awarded. This increases the player’s stats. Let's not forget that ridding the world of those baddies will bring in some gold. Once players have saved up, they can purchase bigger and better gear. That means swapping out that bamboo staff for a flame sword or a set of clothes for magic armor. The longer the player succeeds, the better they improve themselves.
(The farther from home you travel, the more dangerous the monster.)
To avoid having to always return to one safe place, Dragon Warrior sets up multiple towns where players can save and exit. That's right, Dragon Warrior isn't one of those games that has to be completed in one sitting. You can play today, quit, and pick up where you left off another day. This was another reason I loved this game so dearly. I could play any time I wanted and didn't have to start off killing slimes every time. Each town held something special for its travelers. They were usually a bit difficult to get to, but perseverance pays off. Normally these towns were the place to go for those special upgrades in gear. They also helped solve a bit of the puzzle for slaying the Dragonlord.
With every adventure game comes death. Perhaps players explored too far away or too deep into a dungeon. Luckily, the game isn't as cruel as others. Upon death, players are returned home to the King and resurrected at the cost of their coin. While it may be a pain to lose some of that precious gold, there has to be some sort of penalty for getting clobbered by a warlock. Dragon Warrior holds no true game over other than players completing the game or quitting due to frustration. There have been several times where I quit after a death, but I've never quit the game all together in frustration. The game was just too damn good to give up on.
While players are out looking to slay the dragon, several hints and side objectives have been left behind. For anyone who has played, they know that the Dragonlord can hit like a mack truck without special armor. This is where the side quest for Erdrick's weapon and armor come in. Lost somewhere in the world, the player must seek out these items to aid them in their battle. The game can be completed without them, but it really can be a pain if things turn bad. Besides, who doesn't want to stretch out the game for more excitement?
(Pay close attention to what others say!)
For those who emerged victorious over the Dragonlord, they know the taste of conquering a long game. While there is no amazing ending for the game, there is that feel of accomplishment after spending days or even weeks with a game filled with adventure. The only thing left to do is restart the game and see if you can do it without gaining so many levels as your previous play. There's also the urge to explore every corner of the world to see if you missed anything on your first play-through.
I can remember playing through Dragon Warrior at least six times. I watched my friend play it through at least three times. Everything about this game is amazing. The visuals themselves are enough to make people fall head over heels. The game is played with a top-down 2D view, but it kicks it up a notch when facing a monster. The game transforms into a still shot 3D battle where commands are given for every move. Things like these during the final years of the 80's were mind blowing. Too many games promised beautiful working 3D and fell flat on their face. Dragon Warrior made no promises and gave us something to marvel at even though it held no animations.
The music is probably the thing that has stuck with me the most. I catch myself whistling or humming certain areas of the game from time to time while playing other adventure games. Hell, some of the themes even made my play list as I explored the world of Norrath in Everquest. That was a game that had great music as well, but Dragon Warrior helped break the repetitiveness every once in a while. The visuals and sounds in the original Dragon Warrior were something that traveled over to the sequels of the game and were just as good.
As I have spent just a bit of time in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, I have to look back and think of where it all began. Dragon Warrior was one of those games that created the bridge for so many other games to cross over into the world of role playing games. I feel that without Dragon Warrior, we might still be stuck with some pretty lame attempts at creating a large enough world for players to explore. While everyone else out there is occupied with the new Elder Scrolls game, make sure to take some time out and think about what you were playing ten to twenty years ago. How has gaming evolved since then? While you're pondering that question, make sure you don't run into any metal slimes. Those guys were bastards.
**Special thanks to NESGuide.com for supplying the provided music.
Jason "Ag3nT" M
I'm a huge gaming fanatic. I mostly do reviews for older games from the 70's, 80's, and 90's, but when something new is out - I'm all over it. See everyone around!
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22.05.2012
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1 comment so far...
SoulWreck, last year
thubs up :) ... (there should be rate article/blog/etc feature :)
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